Kiosks a new benefit for JBLM tax operations

  • Published
  • By Christina Carmen Crea
  • Northwest Guardian
January 15th, 2015 --  Five, possibly 10, new kiosks near the Joint Base Lewis-McChord Tax Center will be available for use during tax season.

This is the first year the JBLM Tax Center has kiosks. The Tax Center and kiosks will be open for business Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays. It will close April 15 -- the end of the tax season.

"The new kiosks will be right down the road from the Tax Center (within a walkable distance), and there will be computers in cubicles for privacy with people there to help," said Capt. Meghan McClincy, Tax Center officer in charge. "There will be people at both the Tax Center and kiosks to help service members and provide them guidance."

Because of budget constraints and the implementation of the new kiosk program, there will no longer be a tax center on McChord Field. However, all service members, family members and retirees can still go to the Tax Center and new kiosks on Lewis Main.

"The main Tax Center will be for more complicated tax returns, and the new, self-service kiosks will be for less complicated returns," McClincy said.

McClincy said the changes to JBLM tax operations have been made "in an effort to preserve services for service members for future tax seasons to come."

The Tax Center provides free tax preparation for active-duty service members, activated Reserve and National Guard Soldiers, retirees and family member dependents.

The main Tax Center is across from the Lewis Main Exchange at the corner of 41st Division Drive, and the kiosks are across the street from the Tax Center in a separate building.

McClincy said their website outlines who is suited to use kiosks.

"But, the beauty of being so close together is if they come to the Tax Center, our people can talk with the clients as they wait in line and can identify where they need to go," McClincy said.

For more information, visit their website at lewis-mcchord.army.mil/ taxcenter.